Thank goodness February is over! It may be the shortest month, but it sure does drag on. Especially when it rains almost every day! The book I chose to read this month was The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the World’s Largest Home by Denise Kiernan.
This book was given to me by my boyfriend’s mom because she loved it, and knew that it would interest me as well. I am a history nerd, so this book was right up my ally. The book followed the life of George Washington Vanderbilt through the early part of his life and how he began building the Biltmore house in Asheville, NC. It also followed his future wife, Edith’s, life through the same time period until they finally met and got married a few chapters into the book.
As you probably know, I love interior decorating and homes, so reading the details about how George curated all of the decor, fixtures, and even people for his home was so interesting to me. He traveled around the world collecting tapestries, books, rugs, etc. to fill this massive home. However, the most interesting part of the book to me was how Edith fully grasped the idea of living in rural North Carolina and made the Biltmore house and surrounding village her home and her legacy. The couple was so philanthropic and valued education and the people that surrounded them, which warmed my heart. Did you know that they bought a Christmas gift for the children of every worker at the Biltmore each year? That is a lot of Christmas gifts!!!
The book did a great job of describing the home, but I don’t think you can fully grasp the grandeur of the Biltmore until you see it in person. I am lucky enough to have been able to visit the Biltmore twice and each time I’m even more amazed by how far ahead of its time the home was.
I would 100% recommend this book to anyone with an interest in history, architecture, forestry, interior design, or just a love story. It was very well written and despite the insane number of sources it used, it did not feel choppy and thrown together. There are some sad dramatic moments too, so it makes for a great well rounded story.
